Warriors homer past Wildcats

BANCROFT – With the North Union baseball team trailing the Humboldt Wildcats 3-2 in the fifth inning, and runners on first and third, senior Sawyer Doocy sent a pitch over the left field fence to give the Warriors a 5-3 lead that they would not relinquish as they went on to win 8-3 on Tuesday in Bancroft.

Jacob Govern started out the inning with a walk, before Jake Adams laid a bunt down in front of the mound for a base hit to put runners on first and second.

Cody Runksmeier, who went 2-for-4 from the plate with two RBIs, advanced both runners with a fielder’s choice. Govern then motored home on Colin Runksmeier’s bunt attempt that was bobbled by the Wildcats hurler.

Colin Runksmeier reached on the error and Adams wheeled to third before Doocy clobbered the pitch for a home run.

“I thought that we played a great game tonight,” said North Union head coach Chad Slagle. “We had a couple really big safety squeezes when we needed them and did a great job of getting bunts down to move guys, and score runs. Then of course Doocy had a little bit of firepower for us.”

The Wildcats grabbed the early lead in the game, with three first inning hits.

Ryan Lee sent the first hit into right field, before taking second on Chris Witzke’s hit to left.

Austin Zylstra grounded into a double play, with Lee reaching third.

Ben Jacobson then drove in the first run of the game with a hit into shallow left field, giving the Wildcats the 1-0 lead after one.

“They are a really good team and their 1-4 hitters are really tough,” said Slagle. “I was really happy though with the way that we handled them after the first two innings and did a good job of winning a big game against a good team.”

Humboldt then tacked on another two runs in the second with the help of a Connor Vitzthum hit and passed ball.

“I felt like we played two types of baseball tonight. We came out flat and were not in the game the first couple innings,” said Slagle. “But then somewhere in the fourth and fifth inning we picked it up and played excellent the last three innings.”

Cody Runksmeier gave up four of the Wildcats seven hits and all three runs in the first two innings, holding them scoreless the rest of the way to earn the win.

“I also thought that Cody pitched a great game. His pitches weren’t really sharp those first two innings, but after that he did a great job of keeping their hitters on their toes,” said Slagle. “And defensively we didn’t make an error and made a couple great double plays when we needed them.”

Govern, who finished 2-for-2 with two runs scored and an RBI, broke open the scoring for the Warriors in the third inning.

After getting a hit to right, Govern wheeled to second on Adam’s base hit to the right side.

Cody Runksmeier then delivered an RBI double with a hit to center, scoring Govern from second to make it 3-1 in the third inning.

Cody Runksmeier allowed just seven hits and struck out one in seven innings to earn the win.

Vitzthum pitched 5 1/3 innings for the Wildcats, giving up eight runs – six earned – on 10 hits, striking out one and walking one to absorb the loss.

Zachary Parle came in for the final two outs in relief in the sixth inning.

Adams finished 2-for-2 from the plate with a sacrifice bunt, a run scored and an RBI, while Doocy went 1-for-3 with one run and three RBIs for the Warriors.

North Union (15-7) plays host to Algona in a 7:30 p.m. game on Thursday in Bancroft.

North Union 8, 3, Harris-Lake Park 3, 0 – The Warriors’ Cody Runksmeier went 2-for-4, including an RBI double to pace the North Union baseball team in the first of two wins over the Wolves on Monday in Lake Park, Iowa.

The Warriors downed the Wolves 8-3 in Game 1, before winning in a 3-0 shut out in the second game.

Cody Runksmeier finished with a pair of RBIs and two runs scored to lead the Warriors in the first game of the doubleheader.

Spencer Ricke went 2-for-3 from the plate with two RBIs, while Jake Govern went 1-for-3 and scored twice.

Corey Vaske came in for relief in the third inning and pitched 3 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on one hit, walking two and striking out three to earn the win.

Doocy started on the mound for the Warriors, throwing two innings and striking out four and walking three to earn a no decision.

Brandon Kollasch struck out the final batter in the seventh inning to seal the victory.

Eli Inhen pitched five innings for the Wolves, giving up seven runs on four hits, struck out four and walked six to take the loss.

The Warriors then came back with a pair of doubles in Game 2 to earn the 3-0 win.

Garrett Johnson pitched a complete game, allowing five hits and striking out 11, while walking one to earn the win.

Doocy went 2-for-4 from the plate, including a double to score a pair of runs for North Union.

Ricke, who went 1-for-2, made his one hit count as he drove in a run with a double.

Alex Deitering went 2-for-3 from the plate with two RBIs, while Cody Runksmeier went 1-for-2 with a run scored in the win.